Posts tagged with envy-code - page 4

I have been experimenting with Envy Code R over the last few months – everything from creating a bold version to delta hinting with Visual TrueType with mixed results.

Part of the problem is that at larger sizes the odd shapes and over-emphasized curves that I drew to make the font look great at 10-point with ClearType on makes it look awkward at larger sizes.

Last weekend, I went back to the drawing board, literally, to try and improve on the shapes without impacting too much on the 10-point size ClearType version. The result is as follows;

And for comparison, the old version:

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, even if it’s just to say your prefer PR6, Consolas or something else. Be sure to mention what size and whether you have ClearType on (or if you are using a Mac).

Onuava

Share Technical Monospaced

For those that like very square fonts this one could be a contender – providing the author can fix the problem where an f and an l placed together causes both to disappear – an unexpected empty ligature perhaps?

Feel free to comment on any other great finds but please, no more references to bit mapped pixel fonts!

If you’re wondering what the state of Envy Code R is… I’m trying to solve the various issues with the heights at certain levels. I think the solution to the problems is delta-hinting but it is a bit of a black art and I don’t have the right tools for the job.

Here is the Envy Code R programming font I’ve been working on as it currently stands:

As you can see it looks great at 10pt regardless of what smoothing (or not) you are using. Whilst you can use it at other sizes and it will scale without turning into big pixels there are plenty of other fonts around that will look better at larger sizes/in print.

I will attempt to address these as best I can as time goes by as well as trying to shave a pixel off the vertical height. It also doesn’t look too great on the Mac but if you want to try anyway use 13pt and be prepared to set the height in terminal to just above 1.0 to stop the letters being cut-off.

Comments are welcome but please bear in mind that Envy Code R is designed to look very close to Envy Code B so deviating from that further is unlikely right now.

Finally please bear in mind that whilst Envy Code R is free-for-use it is copyrighted and as such it must not be redistributed, bundled or modified without permission at this time. Once all the issues are addressed I’ll likely release the whole thing under a free/open license.

This is simply because I do not wish people looking for this font in the future to be downloading older preview versions.

[Newer version is available](/envy-code-r)

If you were wondering what it does look like large:

Update

I have updated the preview font to fix vertical problems on the capital E as well as add a bunch of symbols not yet done (e.g. fractions) and also stuck in a bit-mapped 9pt version for those not using smoothing.

I’ve been back less than 36 hours but have managed to spend a little more time working on Envy Code R.

I made the decision to keep it as close as Envy Code B as possible for the initial release except where compromises were made in Code B.

Changes include “hnruc” getting stronger curve, “0MN#!~,;:.” being brought in line with Code B, the “%” symbol redrawn. Most of the foreign accented characters for the Windows Latin 1252 code-page are done. Here’s how that Visual Studio sample now looks (again with ClearType)

The font is also looking very similar with standard (non-ClearType) font smoothing switched on. CRT users rejoice ;-)

There are still some problems – it appears that ClearType likes to squash characters up rather than let two touch each other hence the messed-up @ symbol and spacing issues with { and } right now. Also while the font is usable at other sizes it’s not as pretty and if you like your fonts large Inconsolata or Consolas will look much better.

I’m hoping to get an initial version out before Christmas which won’t include bold or any characters/symbols outside the standard 1252 character set. Bold is technically a whole second font and there are enough characters in Unicode to spend a lifetime drawing…